#triduum

"Can You Drink the Cup?" (Scott Surrency, OFM)

Can you drink the cup? Drink, not survey or analyze, ponder or scrutinize – from a distance. But drink – imbibe, ingest, take into you so that it becomes a piece of your inmost self. And not with cautious sips that barely moisten your lips, but with audacious drafts that spill down your chin and onto your chest. (Forget decorum – reserve would give offense.)

Can you drink the cup? The cup of rejection and opposition, betrayal and regret. Like vinegar and gall, pungent and tart, making you wince and recoil. But not only that – for the cup is deceptively deep – there are hopes and joys in there, too, like thrilling champagne with bubbles that tickle your nose on New Year's Eve, and fleeting moments of almost – almost – sheer ecstasy that last as long as an eye-blink, or a champagne bubble, but mysteriously satisfy and sustain.

Passion and Palm Sunday were two separate Sundays (they were combined during Vatican II to become Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion), and so Passiontide was two weeks long. Two weeks of solemn, compassionate, suffering.

There wasn't a lot to be happy about. You could celebrate a Saint's feast day during Passion week, but it wasn't much of a celebration, and Passion Sunday was not superseded.

Fasting was taken super seriously. The severity of the Lenten fast was increased during Holy Week. Many would go two, three, and even four consecutive days without any food; but the general practice was to fast from Maundy Thursday evening to Easter morning.

You pretty much didn't sleep during Triduum, because the vigil's went almost all night. On Maundy Thursday, after having celebrated the divine mysteries in remembrance of the Last Supper, the faithful continued a long time in prayer. The night between (Good) Friday and (Vigil) Saturday was spent in almost uninterrupted vigil. The longest of all these vigils began on Saturday (the Vigil in the Night), which went until Easter Sunday morning. The whole congregation wouldn't leave the church until after the celebration of the holy Sacrifice, which was not over till sunrise.

You didn't work, you prayed. In fact, there used to be a law that suspended ALL business for the entire 40 days of Lent (Theodosian Code).

The Sages cling to the One And take care of this world; Do not display themselves And therefore shine; Do not assert themselves And therefore stand out; Do not praise themselves And therefore succeed; Are not complacent And therefore endure; Do not contend And therefore no one under heaven Can contend with them.

-- Laozi, Daodejing Chapter 22

Rivers and seas Can rule the hundred valleys. Because they are good at lying low They are lords of the valleys.

Therefore those would be above Must speak as if they are below. Those who would lead Must speak as if they are behind.

-- Laozi, Daodejing Chapter 66

"We adore Thee most holy Lord, Jesus Christ…because by Thy holy cross, Thou hast redeemed the world." - #SaintFrancisofAssisi

My Shield when I must die;

Remind me of Thy Passion

When my last hour draws nigh.

Mine eyes shall then behold Thee,

Upon Thy cross shall dwell,

My heart by faith enfold Thee.

Who dieth thus dies well!